Taiwan targets blood-bag production as China steps up pressure

TAIPEI - Taiwan aims to start producing its own blood bags – a key item for saving lives on the battlefield – adding to signs that President Lai Ching-te is stepping up preparations for a potential conflict with China.

The Health Ministry has been working closely with other government agencies, including the National Security Council, to enhance Taiwan’s medical preparedness for emergencies, Deputy Health Minister Lin Ching-yi told Bloomberg News.

Strengthening domestic production capacity for key medical supplies, including blood bags, is a part of the strategy, she said, as was ensuring that imports of medical supplies were secure.

“The Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have underscored the risks of relying solely on foreign sources for essential medicines and medical equipment,” Ms Lin added.

Ukraine’s healthcare resources have been strained during its fighting with Russia, leading to shortages of oxygen, medications and more.

Mr Lai has made preparing the self-ruled archipelago of 23 million people for a possible conflict with China a central part of his policymaking since he took office a little more than a year ago.

In 2024, he held the first meeting of a civil defence committee that discussed ways to make sure key energy facilities and critical infrastructure can operate in a crisis.

China views Taiwan as part of its territory that must be brought under its control some day, by force if necessary.

The People’s Liberation Army has held an unprecedented number of military exercises around Taiwan since Mr Lai took over, underscoring its deep distrust of a leader it worries will formalise Taiwan’s independence.

Officials in Taipei downplay the likelihood of a conflict with China anytime soon, though US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth recently warned that more urgency is needed to prepare for a potential People’s Liberation Army invasion.

From at least 2024, the US – Taipei’s main military backer – started raising concerns about the archipelago’s blood reserves and distribution capabilities, according to Taiwanese officials familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing the sensitive matter.

Specific issues included whether Taiwan had enough electricity supplies and backup power systems for blood banks, one of the officials said.

The US was also worried about adequate cold-chain logistics and storage, the person added.

In a report to lawmakers in March, the Defence Ministry in Taipei said that it planned to establish its first blood donation centre by the end of 2025. A programme to create a centrally managed blood supply system would be set up in 2026, it added.

Ms Lin said Taiwan relies on imports for its supply of blood bags because that is cheaper than making them domestically.

Blood bags are containers primarily made of medical-grade PVC that are used in the collection, storage and transfusion of blood. A ready supply is critical in wartime and would help save the lives of soldiers in Taiwan’s military, which is much smaller than China’s.

Taiwan’s National Security Council declined to comment on June 17 on the push to improve medical preparedness.

Nan Ya Plastics, a subsidiary of Taiwan’s largest petrochemical conglomerate, Formosa Plastics Group, has built the archipelago’s first blood bag factory near Taipei, Economic Daily News (EDN) reported, citing a person at a firm that cooperates with Nan Ya Plastics on the plant.  

It is in the process of applying for a certificate to produce the containers, EDN said in a separate report that cited comments Nan Ya Plastics chairman Wu Chia-chau made at an annual general meeting last week.

Nan Ya Plastics did not immediately respond to a request for comment. BLOOMBERG